24TheSeries Book Two Pandora's Box
by Matt Albie
Summary: The Following Takes Place Between Seasons Three and Four. Jack Bauer is caught up in another one of those days. This time a nuclear syringe has been stolen and is about to be turned into a nuclear device to be used in LA Jack must stop it...at all costs.


24The Series

Pandora's Box

Based on the TV Show created by

Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran

Book by Andrew DeFazio

Previously On 24

The events of Day 3 have taken a heavy blow on CTU. The death of Ryan Chappelle was a sacrifice that needed to be handled. Jack Bauer had to break Ramon Salazar out of prison even though later that day Ramon and his brother were killed. Jack had taken Nina Myers, an old friend of Jack's, back to CTU for questioning. Jack killed her after Nina was going to kill Kim. A disease broke out in LA, but was later stopped. Kim Bauer and Chase Edmunds married and left CTU. Bill Buchanan has transferred to CTU LA for a short period of time. He has brought with him Edgar Stiles, Curtis Manning, Andrew White, and others. Tony Almeida was arrested for treason and his wife, Michelle Dessler, divorced him. President Palmer is using his last term as president to watch John Keeler, a candidate for president, in his prepare to go into office. A huge catastrophe is about to take place in LA again. And I, Jack Bauer, am going to have to stop it.

Prologue 

The Nuclear Physicist

The Following Takes Place Between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm

4 Days Before

Bill Buchanan watched from the balcony. He watched the employees and agents of CTU Los Angeles moving about and looking at the computer screens searching for information on planned terrorist attacks.

It was getting pretty late and he was planning to go home soon. He was only there because a replacement for Jack Bauer was not there yet. Jack was now only the Field Director with his new assistant, Curtis Manning.

Chloe O'Brian now had more help because a new person was put in named Edgar Stiles. Edgar, like Chloe, worked in another branch of CTU and was now relocated here.

Not much noise besides a couple phones ringing were heard. It was a pretty slow week, which was good for the country.

Buchanan looked at his watch. It was 6:02. He shook his head and then blinked a few times. He was going to be out by eight.

Genevieve Kimble and Mikayla Johnson worked on the fourth floor of a lab building in Los Angeles. Genevieve was the more experienced nuclear physicist while Mikayla was her associate.

They were working late. They were usually only there until 5:00, but it was now 6:06. Mikayla fought to stay awake.

"How much longer?" she complained.

"Soon," Gen answered. "Soon."

"It is getting late."

"We need to do one more test to complete it."

They had been working on an infectious nuclear syringe that if used the right way would be able to cure many incurable diseases.

"Done," Gen said as she took the vial out of the boiling water. She then poured it in a glass and put it in the freezer."

"Good," Mikayla said as she grabbed her coat. "I'm tired."

Jack Bauer sat in the conference room. Across from him sat Chloe O'Brian, Curtis Manning, and Edgar Stiles. In the front of the room stood Bill Buchanan.

"Now what is the day's assessment?" Bill asked.

"Nothing so far," Chloe answered.

"Well there was one thing," Edgar came in. "Nothing in someone like Chloe's point of view, but there was some talk on a nuclear physicist."

"It is nothing," Chloe said as she stared at Edgar.

"It may be of some significance that Bill may want to know," Edgar shot back.

"This is ridiculous!"

"No it…"

"Stop this nonsense," Jack butted in. "We work together not against each other. You two have been arguing since day one. Try to see eye to eye on something."

"Jack is right," Bill said. "Speak, Edgar."

Edgar cleared his throat and then started, "There was talk on the physicist's new discovery. It is a nuclear syringe that will be able to cure diseases. There was talk on stealing it."

"That is a job for the cops," Jack said.

"A nuclear syringe?" Edgar questioned.

"Big deal," Chloe backed Jack up. "That doesn't make it a terrorist attack."

"But if used the right way it can be," Edgar replied.

"That is a load of crap though and you know," Chloe shot back. "We all know it so give it up."

"Chloe!" Bill shouted. "Jack?"

" I don't think it is very serious at the time, sir," Jack answered.

"I agree," Curtis spoke up.

"Alright," Bill started. "Now what else?"

Jacob Martins waited a half hour after the physicists left the building to go in. He wanted to be careful.

It was 6:36 and Martins and his team prepared to move in. They got out of the cars and put on their night vision goggles.

"Remember," Jacob began. "No fooling around. We get the syringe then we get out of there. Any security guards should be knocked out or killed. Whatever makes you happy. Let's move in."

Martins and his team charged toward the building. They blew the door to the entrance off and went straight in. This was a peace of cake.

6:54. Jack Bauer was in looking through papers in his office when Chloe O'Brian came into the room. He looked up.

"What is it?" he asked.

"The syringe has been stolen," Chloe answered.

"That is a job for the police."

"Not anymore."

"Why not?"

"They blew up the building.

6:59:56, 57, 58, 59, 7:00


End file.
